keep that breathless charm
by headbands
Summary: Rachel get's a suprise on prom night. St. Berry.


**keep that breathless charm,**  
Glee, Rachel/Jesse Summary: Rachel gets a suprise on prom night.  
Spoilers for season 2.

**a/n:** basically, I read on gleeship_secrets on tumblr, that someone said they wanted a prom episode, just for jesse to come back, and the idea really just attacked me and begged to be written. I hope you like it, this is my first fanfiction here! I really hope something like this happens on the show, wishful thinking I guess. I posted this on my livejournal first, so.. yeah.  
And can I just say, I have now pretended that Jesse popped up at the end of the atrocity of 'Special Education' and he and Rachel are secretly dating. That's right. I'm in denial.

disclaimer: if I owned glee, finn would be outta there & glee's own Beyonce and Jay-Z would rule every episode with a little Kurt and Quinn in the background.

Prom night comes, the one night that Rachel Berry has been looking forward to since she was five.

It's the night that any girl can be special, a princess. Beautiful.

She has already planned what she will be wearing, down to the inside of her shoes, when she realises one crucial thing.

She has no date.

Finn was supposed to ask her. Now that Quinn, Puck, Santana and Je- him were out of the way, nothing was supposed to stop them being the power couple of Mckinley and keeping their relationship through college, where she would regretfully let him go to continue with her career. That was her plan.

But she see's the looks Finn gives to Quinn in the choir room, and that sometimes he watches her legs under her cheerleading skirt a little too closely at games.

It's always a blonde, isn't it.

Rachel knows that she isn't the best candidate for a girlfriend, but he told her he loved her.

So did someone else. Someone who didn't even look at another girl while they were dating.

Someone who made her feel beautiful, understood.

But it was just a game to him. She needs to forget about Jesse St. James and look forward to prom.

It will be the best night of her life.

She asks Kurt to be her date.

Rachel figured that they both wouldn't have dates to the dance, considering her Finn situation and that Kurt is in a budding 'friendship' with Blaine, the boy from the rival school.

It reminds her too much of them, and she nearly backs out.

No. The brunette can have fun without a stupid boyfriend, she has friends.

"Kurt, how would you feel about going to prom with me?" It's out in three seconds tops, and she holds her breath.  
But he gives her a genuinely warm smile, and replies with, "Of course Rachel."  
She grins her Broadway grin back at him, but he continues.  
"We will have to have some conditions though."

Quinn and Santana nearly faint when they see her.

They're both lounging on Quinn's bed in the girls' room. When Mercedes' sister comes home from college and needs her room, and Quinn doesn't feel comfortable at her mothers, Rachel offers her spare room. She was going to when Quinn was kicked out, but considering she was the one who told Finn, she didn't think it was the best thing.

Quinn accepted the offer, and they formed a close friendship.

When Rachel hears the blonde crying herself to sleep every night, she commands that Quinn move into her room. Rachel's eliptical is moved into Quinn's old room, and after her dad's finally get the other bed in, Rachel is able to comfort Quinn every night, and Quinn can honestly never tell the other girl how much it means to her.

Once Quinn secures her position on the squad again, Santana and Brittany come over. Rachel is slightly scared at first, but soon the four girls have sleepovers, and Santana even calls Rachel by her first name occasionally. It's a good improvement.

The two cheerleaders have convinced Rachel to show them the dress Kurt and Blaine (now nicknamed Klaine by the Glee Club) have spent two hours in the local shopping mall to get the brunette.

Her hair is fanned out, her bangs straightened. The dress is dark green, strapless, with a sweetheart neckline. It looks nice on Rachel, she looks pretty, not crazy like she usually does, but not plain Jane like everyone else. She stands out.

The girls both clap for her. She blushes and stops them.

Truth be told, Rachel was a little scared to let Klaine pick her outfit. Prom is a big thing for her, and she doesn't want to look ugly and not be herself.

Thankfully, Kurt was right on her side. He was able to pick the most amazing dress she could ask for (though she would prefer it in pink) and Blaine had the perfect shoes and bag for her. He was even able to get her a gold star neclace.

She feels like crying when she sees herself in the mirror.

Rachel Berry feels beautiful, and a certain curly-haired singer didn't need to be involved.

Unknown to Rachel, Quinn, Kurt and Santana are on the phone to someone.

Kurt picks her up promptly at 7.30 and squeals like a twilight fangirl when he sees her.

They ride to the school to the tunes of Barbra wailing about heartbreak, only interrupting to pause and discuss whatever point of the movie that she sang this.

The gym hall has banners up and down the walls, a twenty-something bored looking man acting as DJ and a cluster of teenagers thrusting and grinding in the center of the room.

Rachel clings onto Kurt's hand. She feels out of place here, and Kurt squeezes. They're in the same boat here.

They stay for an hour or so, swaying to songs they recognise and staying far away from Karofsky.

Quinn comes with Sam in her white lace dress, but stays near Rachel and Santana the full night, much to Sam's annoyance, and Rachel catches her looking every few moments at Puck, who decides to sit at their table. He and the brunette dance together, more because Rachel pitys him and wants to be a good friend to him. After their relationship, they stayed good friends, and she was extremely flattered when he offered to beat up Jesse.

Oh, wait. Don't mention him.

When Kurt murmurs in her ear if she wants to go as he's getting embarassed to even be in the same age period as the other people there, Rachel agrees and checks on Quinn, who bats her off and tells her that she'll fine as she waltzs her way to Noah. Mike and Artie reassure her they'll make sure she comes home. At some point.

They listen to more Barbra, which now seems a world away from Jay-Z and Bruno Mars.

Rachel kisses Kurt on the cheek and thanks him for being her date when they pull up at her house. She doesn't think much of it when he says to her, "Have a good night, now" and winks at her.

The small girl unlocks her door and goes straight to the kitchen, humming 'Touch Me' as she goes. She was right, she didn't need stupid Finn Hudson to enjoy her prom night. He is freakishly tall, they don't work together at all.

Fresh air is what Rachel Berry needs. She doesn't know why, but it feels like she should go outside.  
She opens the door and walks out, it's a cool night. Her arms rise with goosepimples.

Then she hears the music.

It's music for a certain Frank Sinatra song she adores.

She only told one person she loved it. And that one person should be in LA.

Life has a funny way of turning things about for one Rachel Berry though.

-

Jesse didn't actually know what he was doing.

When Quinn Fabray called him a couple of days ago asking if he still loved Rachel, he wasn't sure.

She had betrayed him with the Run Joey Run thing, but he had egged her.

Hudson had probably gotten her to run back to him. Again.

But the cheerleader had told him the Mckinley Prom was coming and Finn hadn't asked Rachel, so he had a shot.

He was already planning his entrance.

What should he sing? Some Spring Awakening, Wicked? No.

Maybe he should go more mainstream, like Bruno Mars. No.

Then it hit him, one song Rachel had mentioned she loved more than anything.

Jesse St. James was going to win his girl back. With a little help from Sinatra.

-

_"Some day, when I'm awfully low,_  
_When the world is cold,_  
_I will feel a glow just thinking of you..._  
_And the way you look tonight."_

Rachel's frozen, actually frozen.

Jesse St. James, the boy who broke her heart all over the parking lot, is walking out of the shadows of her garden and singing to her.

He's smiling at her. Actually smiling.

Once he reaches her, he puts one hand around her waist, her hand automatically goes to his shoulder. Their remaining hands clasp together, and Rachel marvels once again at the perfect fit.

He continues the song, _"Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm_  
_And your cheeks so soft,_  
_There is nothing for me but to love you,_  
_And the way you look tonight."_

-

She's smiling.

"With each word your tenderness grows,  
Tearing my fear apart...  
And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,  
It touches my foolish heart.

Lovely ... Never, ever change.  
Keep that breathless charm.  
Won't you please arrange it ?  
'Cause I love you ... Just the way you look tonight."

Jesse didn't expect her to smile at all.

Actually, he had already decided if she still hated him, he would make a run for it.

Thank god he didn't have to.

She leans her cheek against his as they dance, it feels like heaven for him. It's the thing he's dreamed about for the last 3 months, and all summer.

He ends the song, and they pull apart.

"So, are you going to explain this to me?"

-

"Are you?"

She has her hands on her hips, an annoyed expression on her face.

"...I messed up, Rachel."

"Yes."

"And I'm sorry."

"Yes."

He sighs. Good, maybe she'll finally get the explanation she deserved those many months ago.

"Shelby...she told me about you, and that you were her daughter. We went to you're Sectionals. I was blown away, and she told me to get to you and if possible, get you to see her. That was the original plan. I met you in the bookstore by accident, and something...started in me." He grins at her, she raises her eyebrows. Just referencing her favourite musical won't get her on his side. He sighs again.

"I told her about the Like a Virgin thing, and I suggested switching schools for you. She agreed. I pretended it was for the plan, but it wasn't. It was for you. I was already...falling for you." Jesse seems uncomfortable, and Rachel can see why. After all those years as a soulless automaton, loving someone must be terrifying.

"Basically, I moved. All those feelings, they were real. Why else would I be so mad after Run Joey Run? Vocal Adrenaline had an extra ticket, I accepted. When I came back, I knew I would have to leave. So I slipped in the cd. Then I left. I told Shelby, she said I could come back to Carmel. I didn't want to. But I had too, Rachel, you know that. We're stars, you and me. We crave the spotlight. That Sunshine thing? I've done worse things like that. That's why no-one understood why you did it. They don't have our determination."

"They told me that we had to funk you. I was okay with that, it was a little TP, okay? Then Gisele suggested we do a number. You know I never turn down an excuse to showcase my talent. So we performed Another one Bites the Dust. Then, they suggested egging you."

Rachel shudders at the mere memory of the egg yolk running down her face, Jesse's twisted face whispering, "I loved you."...

"I was dead set against it. But they were able to convince me, saying they would tell UCLA about my switching and making me lose that scholarship. So, I did it. I've regretted it ever since."

"...I forgive you."

"I don't expect you to forgive me or even want to talk to me agai- what?'

"I forgive you, Jesse."

"...but, why?"

"Because... life's too short to hold grudges. You are truly sorry, I know it."

She smiles at him, and his answering grin is breathtaking.

"Thankyou, Rachel."

"I have one more question though." Jesse frowns, he wasn't planning for her to ask another question.  
"Yes?"  
"...did you mean it?"  
"What?"  
"That you...l-loved me."

She's looking down at the ground, holding her elbows. He sidles up to her and puts his hand under her chin, making her meet his eyes.  
"Yes...and I still do. More than ever."

She just gives him a look, a look that conveys more than words could every say.

-

A few hours later, after they've settled on her couch and are waiting for Quinn to come home, Jesse goes for it.

She's sitting next to him, her elbow resting against his stomach. His arm is around the back of the sofa, lightly touching her long shimmery hair that he's ran his hands through so many times.

"Rachel?"  
"Yes?"  
"Could we...ever...get back to where we were before?"

She gives him a mysterious smile, a twinkle in her beautiful brown eyes.

"We'll see."  
He could wait to see for a million years, for Rachel Berry.

-


End file.
